Pool filter cleaner

ABSTRACT

A device for cleaning a swimming pool filter of the flexible tube type and wherein the pool may either be either of the standard backyard type or the larger commercial type pool. The flexible tubes are banded together to form a removable flexible tube nest which is inserted into the pool filter. The cleaning device of the instant invention has an inner tube having a plurality of small apertures formed there through and essentially at one end thereof and circumferentially around the tube. The opposite end of this tube has a plurality of spacers about its circumference to separate it from an outer tube into which it is inserted. An end cap having a female hose connector is disposed over this end of the inner tube. A lever type hose valve is inserted into the hose connector and water supply is connected to the hose valve. The inner tube is then placed over one of the flexible tubes of the nest water will flow downwardly between the inner and outer tubes then through the apertures at the lower end of the inner tube thereby contacting and washing the flexible tube when the user of the device moves the device in an up and down and twisting motion.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a simple device for cleaning theflexible tubes of a flexible tube nest of a swimming pool filter. Theentire flexible tube nest is removed from the filter, placed upside downwith the flexible tubes facing upward, and the pool filter cleaner ofthe instant invention is placed over each tube, one by one, the poolfilter cleaner, with water flowing through it, is slowly moved up anddown the entire length of each tube and with a slight twisting orrotating motion until each tube, individually, is cleaned. After theentire flexible tube nest has been cleaned it is re-inserted into thefilter for its intended purpose.

2. Background of the Invention and Description of the Prior Art

A search of the prior art has uncovered the following patents of varioustypes generally in the field of filter cleaning apparatus. One suchpatent is the patent to Lake, U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,883 having verticallyextending filter elements or tubes with closed lower ends. A spraynozzle is moved horizontally into and out of a filter and, in turn,pressurized water is supplied to the nozzle. The nozzle sprays waterupwardly impacting the filter tubes thereby cleaning them.

The Chmielewsli patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,045 also relates to thecleaning of a dirty swimming pool filter. In this case however the poolfilter is journaled for rotation about a vertical axis and about avertical array of nozzle. Pressurized water is supplied through a gardenhose, enters an inlet connection, and causes the filter to rotate andspray clean. This is clearly distinguishable from the instant invention.

Another type of device shown in the prior art is the annular disk typewherein filters are axially carried on a tubular shaft which rotates.While this patent is of interest from a background standpoint, it is notof the flexible tube type of the instant invention.

The Poe patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,905 and the patent to Morin, U.S.Pat. No. 4,578,186 while they may be of interest from the standpoint ofthe background of the invention, they also are not of the flexible tubetype wherein water, under pressure, flows between two tubes andeventually between apertures and an inner tube, and then impacting aflexible tube filter one by one. When using the instant invention toclean the individual flexible tubes of a flexible tube nest, the nestitself is removed from the filter. The filter is turned upside down, forinstance, on a bucket, and the tubes are therefore extending upwardly.The cleaning device which forms the subject matter of this invention isthen connected to a water source, such as a garden hose, and a valveconnected to the invention in an off position. The device is theninserted over and around one of the flexible tubes of the nest somedistance, the water source is turned on, and the valve is placed in theon position. Water flows downwardly through the device to be describedand the device is moved up and down the entire length of the flexibletube with a slight twisting motion which then will clean the tube. Aftereach tube is cleaned the water supply is shut off, the device is removedfrom one flexible tube and placed on another, and so forth, until eachflexible tube of the nest is cleaned. The flexible tube nest is thenreplaced in the filter and the filter replaced on the swimming pool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a unique,inexpensive, and practical device for the cleaning, separately, of eachflexible tube of a swimming pool filter of the flexible tube type. Eachtube can be cleaned separately and efficiently by the simple movement ofthe invention in an up and down direction while at the same time thedevice is being slightly rotated by the user thereof. The device itselfis connected to a pressurized water source such as a standard gardenhose which is readily available. The device comprises essentially anouter tube and an inner tube. The inner tube, at one end thereof, andextending upwardly some distance, has a plurality of small holes therethrough and circumferentially spaced around the inner tube. At its otherend, the inner tube has a plurality of spacers disposed around itscircumference in order to keep it spaced apart from the outer tube whenit is inserted into the outer tube. At the end of the inner tube havingthe small holes there through is a bushing having a lip and wherein thebushing fits flush inside the outer tube thereby, again, keeping theinner and outer tubes spaced apart. This end of the inner tube fits intothe bushing and is held in place on the lip.

Inserted in the opposite end, or the other end, of the inner tube is aplug, preferably of rubber, around which the spacers are disposed.

An end cap having a female hose connection is fitted over this end ofthe outer tube. The female hose connector in turn has inserted in it aflow valve preferably of the lever type.

The pressurized water source, such as a standard garden hose, is thenconnected to the lever type flow valve.

When it is desired to clean the pool filter of this particular flex tubenest type, the nest is removed from the pool filter, it is turned suchthat the tubes are facing upward, the water source is connected to thevalve of the lever type, with the lever in the off position, theassembled device is slid over one of the tubes to be cleaned, the valvelever is moved to the on position, water flows downwardly between theinner and outer tubes, and near the bottom of the tubes, water flowsthrough the small openings or apertures in the inner tube and the entiredevice is moved up and down and rotated about the tube to be cleanedthereby scrubbing the individual flexible tube. The device is then movedto the next tube and so forth until the entire nest is cleaned at whichtime it is replaced into the filter.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a flexible tubeswimming pool filter cleaning device.

It is another object of the invention to provide such pool filtercleaning device having a pair of spaced apart telescoping tubes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a tube filtercleaning device wherein one end of an outer tube is fitted with an endcap further having a female hose connection.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a flexibletube cleaning device wherein the end cap with female hose connectionfurther has connected to it a lever type hose valve.

These and further objects, features, and advantages of the inventionshall become apparent from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the drawingswherein like reference characters refer to corresponding parts in theseveral views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled device showing the innertube inserted into the outer tube, the bushing inserted into the outertube, and the end cap with female hose connection.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the device showing all of the elements ofFIG. 1 and further showing spacers attached to one end of the inner tubeand a rubber plug insertable into the inner tube.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing all of the elements of FIGS. 1and 2 in an assembled condition.

FIG. 4 shows the flexible tube nest with the flexible tubes facingupward and the device being held by a user and ready to be placed overone of the flexible tubes.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section showing the invention in place overone flexible tube showing the direction of water flow from a watersource, through the valve, downwardly between the tubes, and thenthrough the small holes or openings or apertures at one end of the innertube for impacting on the flexible tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of the assembled device showing the outertube 10 having an end cap fitted over the outer circumference of one endthereof and having a female hose connection. A bushing 15 is showninserted into one end of outer tube 10 opposite the end having end cap12. An inner tube 11 of smaller diameter than outer tube 10, isinsertable into outer tube 10.

When inner tube 11 is inserted and in place in outer tube 10 it willabut and sit on lip 16 of bushing 15 which fits snugly into the openingof the outer tube opposite the end having the end cap with female hoseconnection.

A plurality of small apertures or holes 14 are placed circumferentiallyaround the inner tube 11 for a purpose to be more fully described below.

A plurality of tube spacers 17 are disposed about the outercircumference of inner tube 11 near one end thereof opposite from theend having apertures 14. These spacers 17 separate the inner and outertubes and keeps this one end in place with the other end being kept inplace by lip 16 of bushing 15.

A rubber end plug 18 is inserted in the spacer end of inner tube 11. Awater source 19, such as a standard garden hose, is connected to thelever type flow valve 13 controlled by on-off water flow lever 22.

Shown in FIG. 4 is a flexible tube nest 21 having individual flexibletubes 20 one of which is shown in position to be cleaned in FIG. 5.

To assemble the unit, rubber end plug 18 is inserted into one end ofinner tube 11. The plurality of tube spacers 17 are disposed about thesame end of inner tube 11. The tube is then inserted into outer tube 10and bushing 15 with lip 16 is inserted into the opposite end of outertube 10 with inner tube 11 abutting lip 16. Thus, between lip 16 andspacers 17, the inner tube is held in place spaced apart from outer tube10.

The end cap with female hose connector 12 is then placed over the end ofouter tube 10 distant from the end having bushing 15. Inserted into thisend cap with female hose connector 12 is lever type flow valve 13.

In operation, the inner tube, in place in the outer tube, is insertedover one of the flexible tubes 20 and with on-off water flow lever 22 inthe off position. The water source, such as a standard garden hose, isthen attached to the flow valve 13, the water source is caused to flow,the on-off water flow lever is switched to the on position, and waterwill flow downwardly, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, between the inner andouter tubes, and then through the small apertures or holes at the otherend of inner tube 11 and then through to and impact upon flexible tube20 while at the same time the user of the device is moving the device upand down throughout the length of the individual flexible tube 20 whileat the same time imparting slight twisting motion.

After the individual tube is cleaned the other flexible tubes in thesame flexible tube nest are cleaned in the same way.

The nest is then put back into the filter and the filter is then engagedwith the pool.

Though the invention has been described and illustrated with referenceto a preferred embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various changes and modifications in shape, size,composition, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoinedclaims.

What is claimed:
 1. A cleaning device for a swimming pool filter of theflexible tube nest type comprising: (a) an outer tube; (b) an inner tubedisposed inside the outer tube and spaced apart therefrom; (c) aplurality of apertures extending through said inner tube andcircumferentially surrounding said inner tube near one end thereof; (d)a water source connected to one end of said outer tube; (e) an on-offwater flow lever for controlling the flow of water to the outer tubesuch that the water will flow between said outer and said inner tubes,through said apertures in said inner tube, and impacting one flexibletube of said flexible tube nest thereby cleaning said flexible tube whensaid flexible tube is inserted into said inner tube; and, (f) said innerand said outer tubes are further spaced apart by means of a bushinghaving a lip inserted into one end of said outer tube opposite the endconnected to said water source whereby said inner tube fits into andcooperates with said lip of said bushing and thereby keeping said outerand said inner tubes spaced apart.
 2. The cleaning device for a swimmingpool filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inner and said outertubes are spaced apart by means of a plurality of tube spacers attachedaround the circumference of said inner tube at one end thereof distantfrom the end having said apertures extending there through.
 3. Thecleaning device for a swimming pool filter as claimed in claim 2 whereinan end plug is inserted into one end of said inner tube opposite the endhaving the apertures such that the said water will not flow through saidinner tube.
 4. The cleaning device for a swimming pool filter as claimedin claim 3 wherein an end cap is disposed over the end of said outertube opposite the end having said bushing having a lip and wherein saidend cap has a female hose connection for receiving a flow valve havingmeans for controlling the flow of said water from said water sourcewherein said means for controlling the flow of said water is said on-offwater flow lever.
 5. The cleaning device for a swimming pool filter asclaimed in claim 4 wherein said water source is connected to one end ofsaid outer tube by means of said flow valve.